


To cure what ales you

by hkandi



Category: Naruto
Genre: Advice, Bars and Pubs, Community: kakairu_fest, Iruka and his many jobs, Izumo and Kotetsu want to help, Kakashi's retirement! Kakashi's retirement?, M/M, agony aunt, alcohol and drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-13 03:28:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29271774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hkandi/pseuds/hkandi
Summary: Kakashi retires and opens up a bar in Konoha, and becomes the village agony aunt? Good thing he's not bad at it, as he can help Iruka with his biggest problem - getting well meaning friends out of his business and off his back. Though, exactly how long can Kakashi keep up with it all?
Relationships: Hagane Kotetsu & Kamizuki Izumo & Umino Iruka, Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka
Comments: 4
Kudos: 78
Collections: A Very Special KakaIru Exchange!





	To cure what ales you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TeaforMonsters](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaforMonsters/gifts).



> Written for TeaforMonsters and their Kakashi's bar/agony aunt role prompt, I hope you like it!
> 
> (I own no characters etc)

Konoha, as any with any village, was abuzz with excitement whenever a new business opened, and the opening of a new bar was always especially noteworthy.

This one even more so, as one Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Nin, owner of a thousand jutsus...now was the proud new owner of a bar?

Still, the village was eager to visit it, and a steady stream of patrons flowed to it once it opened, which was how Iruka found himself heading there with Kotetsu one night, about two weeks after its opening.

"I hear it's crazy good," Kotetsu said. "Have you been yet?"

Iruka shook his head. "No, I've been too busy."

"Ah, you're always busy," Kotetsu sighed. "You need to get out more, have more fun!"

"I have fun!" Iruka laughed. "I work, then I work, then I hang out with you and Izumo, when we're not working together. And Anko, and others. And...then I work some more..."

"I know, I know," Kotetsu laughed. "There's Izumo now!" he said, waving at their friend, who was nearing the bar himself.

"Hey!" Izumo greeted them as they headed inside and grabbed a table. "Can you believe the name of this place? 'Bar'?"

The others laughed.

"A thousand jutsu doesn't buy creativity, I suppose," Iruka mused.

"Ru," Kotetsu said. "You should head up and get the first round."

Iruka looked at him. "Why me?"

"Because you're friends with Hatake," Izumo agreed. "Maybe you can get us a free round!"

Iruka shook his head. "We've hung out with Naruto, when he was here," he said, as his favorite blond was still off training with Jiraiya. "It's been a few months since we really talked..."

It was Izumo's turn to shake his head. "Even so, you know him, we don't. It can't hurt. Please?" he begged, and Iruka sighed as he stood.

"Fine, but next round is on you either way," he warned his friends, who agreed.

Iruka made his way to the bar, looking around as he did. The place was fairly straightforward, wooden walls decorated with Konoha nostalgia items, a few shinobi things sprinkled here and there. A casual but welcoming atmosphere, and fairly full even on a Wednesday night.

Iruka noted that Kakashi was working the bar along with a civilian, and waited patiently to place his order.

Kakashi looked over and spotted him, giving him an upside down eye smile as he finished another person's order and headed over.

"Sensei, welcome to my bar!" he greeted him.

"Congratulations, Kakashi-san," Iruka laughed. "I'm surprised, but excited for you!"

Kakashi shrugged. "It's something new I'm trying."

"You didn't lose a challenge to Gai-san, did you?" Iruka teased.

"No, but that's an interesting version to tell people," Kakashi said, clearly considering it. He took Iruka's order and passed him three beers, telling Iruka it was on the house when the other man protested.

"It's good to see you," Kakashi said.

"And you," Iruka smiled. "It's been a while."

"I was busy," Kakashi said, gesturing to the bar. "Who knew it would take so much time to get this started?"

"I'm curious why you chose this, I have to admit," Iruka said, but before Kakashi could respond, Asuma called out to the copy nin from further down the bar. "I'll see you later," Iruka said, shooing him towards the other man, before he grabbed the beers and returned to his friends.

"So?" Kotetsu asked, gratefully accepting a beer.

"So, your plan worked, but the next two rounds are definitely on you," Iruka laughed, as they toasted to a night out.

________

Kakashi was surprised when one Tuesday night about two weeks later, none other than Iruka showed up at about eight in the evening, taking a seat at the bar.

"Evening, sensei," Kakashi greeted him.

"Good evening, Kakashi-san," Iruka responded.

"Try again," Kakashi said, nodding at a sign over the teacher's shoulder. Iruka followed his gaze, to a sign that said "no formalities unless it's the Hokage," and smiled.

"Hello, Kakashi," Iruka said, and Kakashi nodded.

"That's better."

"But isn't 'sensei' a formality?" Iruka asked, and Kakashi considered this as he poured drinks.

"It's a nickname," he decided, and Iruka laughed. "What can I get you?"

"Just a beer, please," Iruka said, and Kakashi passed him one before moving to serve others.

"So, what brings you in on a Tuesday?" Kakashi asked, once he was free.

A look of sadness flitted over Iruka's face for a moment before he softly smiled. "Just looking to do something different after work, I suppose." He looked around. "This is a nice place, congratulations again on opening it."

Kakashi gave him an upside down eye smile. "Thanks. Being retired is going pretty well, I have to admit."

Iruka studied him for a long moment. "Are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Retired?"

Kakashi looked at him. "What makes you question it?"

Iruka shrugged and drummed his fingers on his beer bottle. "Shinobi like you don't just retire. They either...sacrifice, or get roped into bigger things. Plus you're still wearing the uniform."

Kakashi barked out a laugh. "You got me there. I thought I'd throw the towel in before the council could grab me. Though, I figure even a retired shinobi can wear the uniform. Maybe I'm just keeping it on to be on call?" He dropped his voice. "Since, if Konoha ever needed my services, I'd be there." His voice resumed its normal volume. "In general, I guess I figured if I retired early, they couldn't give me more work."

"Like what?" Iruka asked.

"Like being Hokage."

Iruka snorted. "That's Naruto's job, you'd just be keeping the seat warm for him."

"And he can have it, trust me," Kakashi commented.

Iruka nodded, just as Kakashi was called away to attend to other customers. He was kept busy while Iruka was there, but would study the teacher from time to time, before Iruka flagged him down.

"Another one?" Kakashi asked, but Iruka shook his head.

"No, just the bill, thanks."

Kakashi waved it off. "It's on the house."

"Oh?" Iruka asked, surprised. "No, I couldn't. You gave me beers on the house last time too."

"It's....Teacher Tuesdays?" Kakashi suggested, and Iruka snorted. "A free beer for teachers I like."

"And how many do you like?" Iruka asked. "Because if word gets out, you might be in trouble."

Kakashi pretended to think about it, while Iruka sat back with his arms crossed.

Finally, Kakashi shrugged. "Just you, I suppose, thanks to my once upon a time genin. So, maybe we should keep it between us?"

Iruka laughed. "Sounds like a plan. Thank you again, Kakashi," he said, as he stood to leave.

"Anytime, sensei," Kakashi said, watching the man leave, a feeling settling in his stomach that he couldn't quite place.

______

That Sunday, Kotetsu and Izumo showed up at Bar in the evening, settling down at the bar itself.

Since it was a Sunday evening, it was fairly empty, as many people often stayed in that night. And so once they had drinks, and another group of patrons had their drinks replenished, Kakashi, who was working alone, sat down himself with his trusty book until he was needed.

He enjoyed peaceful reading time for some time, until he was distracted by the men's conversation.

"I know, Ko," Izumo was saying. "But I don't know what to do!"

"If only he would tell us," Kotetsu sighed. "It would be easier."

"We could...just find people ourselves?"

"The one who did?" Kotetsu asked. "Or rather, didn't? Or new people?"

"Yes," Izumo said, clearly a little tipsy. "Maybe? I'm confused. We need another opinion..." He looked around. "Hatake-san?"

Kakashi kept his eyes on his book but pointed to his trusty sign.

"Uh..." Izumo said, fidgeting in his seat. "Hatake? Uh...K-Ka...no, I can't use your first name only, sorry."

Kakashi looked up and gave them an eye smile. "No worries. Another round?"

"No. Well, maybe yes. Can we ask for advice too?" Izumo asked.

Kakashi nodded and put his book away, as he motioned to the table he was sat at as he went behind the bar and got new drinks for all three of them.

"What's up?" he asked as they sat together.

The others exchanged a glance before beginning.

"See, we have a friend," Kotetsu said.

"A good friend," Izumo added.

"A good, single friend who works too much."

"And we don't want him to be single. Or work so much."

"But he is, and he does," Kotetsu sighed. 

"And?" Kakashi pressed.

"And, we want him to be happy," Kotetsu said.

"You don't think he's happy being single and working a lot?" Kakashi asked.

"No, we don't," Kotetsu admitted. "He's not, he just won't admit it."

"And we can't really change him working a lot, but we can change him being single. But, he wasn't sure about letting us set him up with someone," Izumo sighed. 

"He agreed to a few, with no second dates. And then he got himself a date, and guess what happened!" Kotetsu said to Kakashi.

"What happened?" Kakashi asked, more invested than he thought he would be.

"He got stood up!" Kotetsu said, sounding slightly buzzed.

"What?!" Kakashi asked, genuinely surprised. Who needed Icha Icha when he had bar gossip?!

"I know!" Izumo sighed. "It sucks! The other guy never showed, never said anything before or after. And it's been a few days!"

"That's pretty terrible," Kakashi agreed. "Do you know who it was?"

"Our friend?" Kotetsu asked. "Or the other guy?"

"Both?" Kakashi asked, biting back laughter.

The other two exchange a glance again. 

"We probably shouldn't say who our friend is," Izumo said. "And, we don't know who the other guy is, was. So we can't do anything!"

"Huh," Kakashi said, taking a drink without anyone seeing him do so. "That sounds like quite the dilemma." He frowned underneath his mask. "Not that I'm not interested, but why tell me all this?"

"Well, we don't know what to do," Kotetsu said. "So Izumo thought we should have an outside opinion."

Izumo nodded. "What should we do?" he asked, as they looked at the copy nin with eyes full of hope.

Kakashi thought about it for a moment. "Well, perhaps reach out to your friend and see what he wants."

"He'll probably just want us to not care, to go about our business," Kotetsu lamented. "That's what Iruka always does."

"Shhh!" Izumo hissed. "You weren't supposed to say who it was!"

Kotetsu's eyes widened comically large and his mouth fell open.

"Hatake-san!" he whispered. "Please don't tell Iruka we talked to you!"

Kakashi laughed, forgetting all about his rule about formalities. "It's fine, your secret is safe. So, Iruka got a date and got stood up..." He shook his head. "Shame, he's a good guy."

"Right?!" Izumo sighed. "And he's such a nice guy, he's not even stewing about it."

"Perhaps it's for the best," Kakashi said, standing as new customers came in. "I have to go, but maybe give Iruka some space, I'm sure he'll open up to you about it in due time. Or, just be good friends and be there for him in general."

The others nodded and thanked him for his help, and Kakashi became caught up for a while helping bar patrons.

It was later that night as he was closing up and wiping tables down that he thought about their conversation.

His mind whirred, putting pieces into place, and he came to the sudden realization that when Iruka came in the previous Tuesday on his own, perhaps Kakashi hadn't imagined the occasional sad look on his face?

"That was the night he was stood up," Kakashi growled to himself, shaking his head. "Who would do that to him? He's nice, and kind, and easy on the eyes..."

He finished up and headed home, still perplexed about the situation.  
_____

To Kakashi's delight, he ran into Iruka on the street later that week, and invited him to have a drink at Bar.

Genma was working, along with a female member of the Yamanaka clan, surprising Iruka as Kakashi grabbed a bottle of sake and cups for them, leading them to a table tucked into a corner.

"You've expanded your staff?" Iruka asked, as he thanked Kakashi for the drink as the copy nin poured it.

Kakashi shrugged. "The place has taken off, and I needed new people. I have some civilians here, some shinobi too, as you can see. We're pretty lax with scheduling. But, it's keeping me busy enough either way. What about you?" he casually asked. "Anything interesting happening for you these days?"

Iruka thought about it. "No, not really. Work is work, I'm grateful it's all been pretty uneventful, I suppose." 

"That's good, then," Kakashi commented. "I haven't seen you for a bit, it must be keeping you busy."

He watched as Iruka scratched the scar above his nose. "It has. And actually..." the younger man began, glancing around. "People have gotten quite into my business about it all."

"Oh?" Kakashi asked, his visible eyebrow raising slightly.

"Yeah," Iruka sighed. "My friends are hounding me to go out more. They have been for a while now, but it's ramped up more recently."

"Huh," Kakashi mused. "Any idea why?"

He watched as Iruka blushed slightly before the teacher shook his head.

"Uh...no, nothing I can think of," he said, though Kakashi knew it was a lie. 

"Well, why not go out more?" Kakashi posed.

"What?"

"Sure," Kakashi said, shrugging. "Go out more, it could be fun."

Iruka shook his head again, several times. "No, it's not just that. It's...more, I think."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"Ah, I have an idea!" Kakashi said.

Iruka looked at him warily. "Not fake dating, I hope."

"No, that's too cliche. Unless...?" Kakashi asked, leaning towards him, winking with his visible eye.

Iruka laughed. "No."

Kakashi sighed loudly and sat back in his seat. "I'm a catch, thank you very much."

Iruka laughed again. "I'm sure you are, and thank you, but my answer is still the same."

"Fine," Kakashi said. "Then, work here."

"What?"

Kakashi shrugged again. "Sure. Tell your friends that I needed help and you were hired, then you won't have time to go out," he said, choosing his words carefully.

"I really don't have time," Iruka said, shaking his head. "I have lots of grading and other work to do as is."

"It won't be a big deal," Kakashi commented. "Just work here from time to time to keep up appearances, otherwise you can hang out in the back room and grade or read or whatever."

Iruka looked at him, surprised. "What about Genma and the others who work here? Won't they be angry if I'm not really working?"

Kakashi shook his head. "I pay most of them in alcohol, they won't care. And if it helps, you wouldn't really be working, so I don't have to pay you. I'll also just give you free drinks."

Iruka thought about it as he drank. "It is a tempting idea..." he said, and Kakashi nodded. Iruka pursed his lips as he looked around, considering it, before looking at Kakashi again. "You know what? Sure!"

"Sure?"

"Sure! I'll do it, thanks!" Iruka said, and Kakashi was rewarded with the biggest smile he had seen on Iruka in some time.

_______

Iruka began to work at Bar the following week, showing up two to three nights a week. He would help out in front for an hour or so, and if he wasn't really needed, would disappear to the back room to do his work, with Kakashi bringing him tea or a beer here and there, to his surprise and appreciation.

As predicted, no one seemed to mind, and none of the others working with Kakashi said anything to anyone about Iruka's activities.

The staff, it seemed, had a "what happens at Bar stays at Bar" mindset, though Iruka thought it was helped by the fact that the few civilian workers fizzled out and were replaced by a number of rotating shinobi.

Working for alcohol, it seemed, was quite the draw, who knew?

And as for Iruka's friends, they were initially distraught that he had taken on another job but seemed to come around to the idea once they saw he was more social in that job, and that it came with the benefit of them getting a few more free rounds here and there.

Kakashi was working with two other jonin one night when Izumo and Kotetsu came in, and he nodded at them as they sat at the bar.

Serving them himself, they struck up conversation later that night.

"How's it going with Iruka working here?" Izumo asked Kakashi, who gave him an eye smile.

"Good," Kakashi replied. "He's a hard worker, and I think we've seen an uptick in customers thanks to him. We always had a good mix of shinobi and civilian customers, but I think we're seeing more of both."

The others nodded.

"Glad to hear it," Kotetsu said. "We're hopeful this will work out for him too..."

"In what way?" Kakashi asked.

Izumo shrugged. "We've got fantasies of him meeting someone while he's working here, like in the movies, you know?"

Kakashi laughed. "Sure, I'll let you know when that happens."

"Hey, it's possible!" Kotetsu argued. "Bartenders are social and talk to everyone, right? So maybe someone will come in and be swept off their feet by him!"

"Then the same could be said for me," Kakashi pointed out, making the two men laugh before he moved to serve other people. He didn't really paying it all any mind initially, though he found that their words and overall goal nagged him here and there.

Sure, Iruka could meet someone. He was social, nice, friendly. Everyone seemed to like him, and Kakashi definitely enjoyed watching the man work.

He enjoyed watching Iruka even just grade, or put his feet up in the back room and read a book, though that was a rare occurrence. And it seemed like Iruka was actually working the bar area more, so Kakashi got to see him more and more.

And did Kakashi's mood brighten on the days/nights Iruka would be working with him? Yes, though he wasn't sure what that meant...

Time continued, and business picked up, including out of town visitors, both shinobi and civilian alike.

Iruka continued to actually work a decent amount while he was at Bar, and couldn't help but notice the uptick in visitors.

"Aren't you worried about it all?" he asked Kakashi one night.

"What do you mean?"

Iruka shrugged. "More people are coming, and they seem to be...talking a lot, doing things." He shrugged again. "A place like this, there could be shady deals, illegal things happening."

"Illegal things and shady deals are two different things," Kakashi said to him, giving him an eye smile.

Iruka laughed and crossed his arms. "You know what I mean!"

Kakashi shrugged. "Maa, it's a bar, it's what happens. I'll keep an eye on it. If anything or anyone gets out of hand, you're here to handle it, no?"

"What?"

"Well, you're the active duty shinobi, and I'm not," Kakashi pointed out. "Iruka, I'm counting on you to protect me."

Iruka laughed again. "I'm flattered," he said sarcastically. "But what will you do when I'm not here?"

Kakashi sighed. "Miss you? Anyway, it's good for business either way, having people make deals or whatever here. Though, I am over one part of all this."

Iruka raised an eyebrow as he poured drinks for customers, passing them to a server to give out. "Oh?"

Kakashi nodded. "Everyone talks to me."

Iruka looked surprised. "What?"

"Yeah, people won't stop talking to me." Kakashi sighed and rubbed his forehead. "It hurts worse than over-using my sharingan. Every day, someone wants to talk, to tell me their problems, or their friend's problems. Or their friend's friend's problems. It's getting to be ridiculous!"

Iruka snorted. "I hate to break it to you, Kakashi, but you're an agony aunt."

Kakashi looked at him in surprise. "A what?"

"An agony aunt," Iruka repeated. "It's what happens when people tell you their problems, looking for solid, trusted advice. Common with bartenders, or so movies and all would have people think." He scratched his cheek. "I should be surprised, but I guess I'm not."

Kakashi narrowed his visible eye at him. "And why not?"

"I don't know," Iruka said, studying him. "You're the Hatake Kakashi, why not ask you for advice now that people can actually approach you?"

Kakashi sighed. "Well, I wish they wouldn't. Why not bother someone else?"

Iruka looked at him. "People bring up their problems to you?"

"Yeah..."

"And you listen?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I do."

"And you give advice?"

"Well, naturally."

"Then there you go," Iruka said. "If you listen and help, why should they go to anyone else?"

"But how do I get them to stop?" Kakashi practically whined, earning a disapproving look from Iruka.

"I don't think you can, so long as you have this place," the teacher said, as he moved down the bar to help others.

Kakashi thought about what Iruka said all night, and as they were closing up after hours just the two of them, it being a Friday night and one of Iruka's later nights, he had a thought.

"What are your problems?" Kakashi asked Iruka, who looked at him in surprise.

"What?"

"You know, like we were talking about before. People tell me their problems. What are yours?" he asked, fishing.

Iruka thought about it as he wiped down a table. "I have none," he finally said, pursing his lips. "I now have three jobs," he laughed, "friends, and a roof over my head."

"Those don't count," Kakashi objected.

"Don't they?"

"No," Kakashi stated. "Hmm...remember why you started working here? That's a problem."

"A good problem to have, some might say," Iruka argued.

"That your friends are worried about you?"

"Were worried," Iruka corrected him. "At least, I hope they still aren't." He sighed. "They just don't want me to be lonely, and think that I am, was, I don't know..."

"With Naruto being gone, it must be a bit lonely," Kakashi said, counting money from that night. "It's certainly quieter."

Iruka laughed and moved chairs to the side. "Yes, to both, admittedly."

"And your friends want you to not be lonely, to meet someone?" Kakashi asked, pausing and studying the younger man, who blushed.

"Yes," Iruka sighed. "They wanted to set me up with people..."

"So why not just go on their dates when they find people?" Kakashi prodded.

Iruka sighed again and walked over to wipe the bar itself, pausing to sit on a stool near where Kakashi was sat. "I tried," he admitted.

"Oh?"

"It seemed like for some, we had nothing in common," Iruka told him. "Others, it was like all they wanted was a guy in uniform."

"Civilians," Kakashi sighed, shaking his head.

"And some were nice, but there was no spark. And..." Iruka bit his lip. "I tried on my own, and got stood up once, and that's when I called it quits."

"For good?" Kakashi asked, surprised at just how curious he was.

"For now," Iruka admitted. He ran a hand through his hair. "So, that's me. What are your problems?"

"Me? I have none."

Iruka studied him before smiling and shaking his head. He stood to leave, having finished his work for the night. "Everyone has problems, Kakashi," he said as he headed towards the door. "It's just that some of us actually share them."

Kakashi remained in his seat as he watched Iruka leave, his words hanging in the air.

"Perhaps my problem," he said to himself, "is you, that you might only see me as a friend, and I'm starting to think I could want to be more than that..."

___________

Iruka began to spend all his time at Bar actually working rather than going into the back to grade, confiding in Kakashi that it was actually a stress reliever to work there.

Kakashi had not believed him, as it was a busy, loud, fast paced environment, but Iruka assured him that the nature of it being different than his other jobs helped to keep him on his toes and feel more free, in a sense.

Not that Kakashi minded, as he generally kept Iruka working the bar with him, keeping the younger man in fairly close proximity.

They would work side by side, in just shinobi blues, cracking jokes, talking about life with themselves and their customers, and keeping an overall eye on things.

Genma, when he worked, began to tease them about all their inside jokes, which grew in number as they began to spend time together outside of their shared job. They began to meet for dinners before Iruka's shifts there, as both claimed the other didn't take care of themselves and needed to ensure the other ate.

This grew to taking breaks during work together here and there, and sometimes they would even drop food off for the other on their days off from working with each other, Iruka on his way to working the missions office, and Kakashi if he happened to be passing the academy.

In a way, it felt like when Naruto was in the village and the times that they would get dinner together with him, falling back into a routine neither had realized they had craved or missed.

Things seemed to be fairly stable and uneventful, when one day about two months into this new routine, Kakashi entered the missions office as Iruka was snapping at Kotetsu, a rare occurrence, and one which immediately caught Kakashi's interest.

He headed towards Iruka's desk, as there was no line, and the teacher seemed surprised to see him there.

"What was all that about?" Kakashi asked, nodding towards Kotetsu's desk.

Iruka groaned and his his face in his hands. "I don't want to talk about it," he mumbled, raising his face with a confused look. "What are you doing here?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I may have found a rather...matured...scroll, and since I'm retired, I thought I should turn it in."

"Finally, you mean," Iruka said, rolling his eyes but extending a hand.

Kakashi passed it to him and Iruka shook his head when he saw just how old the report was.

"You never learn," the teacher grumbled underneath his breath.

"So," Kakashi said, choosing to ignore the comment. "Go on."

"Go on what?" Iruka asked, not looking up from the scroll.

"What happened with your friend?"

Iruka huffed and put the scroll down, looking at him. "I said I don't want to talk about it."

Kakashi dismissed his comment with a lazy wave of his hand. "Everyone tells me their problems, remember? You're going to at some point anyway, everyone does. So, go on."

Iruka frowned, clearly having an internal debate about this, before seemingly giving in, to Kakashi's masked delight. Iruka took a deep breath and lowered his voice, and Kakashi leaned in to hear him.

"I found out that he and Izumo told you about me getting stood up," Iruka admitted.

Kakashi shrugged. "You told me about it too," he pointed out.

"No," Iruka said, "that they told you about it closer to it happening, and that it clearly led to you offering to let me work there."

"And?"

"What do you mean, 'and'?" Iruka snapped. "I'm embarrassed! It's an embarrassing thing, to know that my friends are telling people about me getting stood up. Like, hey, everyone, just letting you know I'm a loser!"

"You're no loser," Kakashi assured him. "The loser is the guy that stood you up."

Iruka smiled softly at the thought before scowling again. "That's just something you're supposed to say when that happens," he said, returning his focus to the scroll. "But still..."

Kakashi studied him. "Well, so you got stood up, and now you've got a thriving social life. Looks like you won in the end?"

Iruka finally chuckled, still reading the scroll. "That's a fair point." He sighed and sat back in his chair, studying Kakashi. "If you have me working at your bar out of pity, I'll understand if you want me to stop working there, now that I know why you offered in the first place."

"Not at all, you're an important employee. And, if everyone is still so focused on your dating life, just go out with me and they'll drop the topic," Kakashi casually threw out.

"What?" Iruka asked, looking at him in surprise.

"Well, Genma's always teasing us about it anyway, so let's just go out."

Iruka looked at him for a moment before getting a mischievous look as he returned to the scroll. "Sorry," he said, "but you're my boss, and I have a strict rule about not dating anyone I work for."

Kakashi nodded. "Understood." He paused. "I've changed my mind. You're fired."

Iruka's head snapped back up from the scroll. "What?!"

Kakashi shrugged. "Effective immediately. So, I'll pick you up after your shift here tonight?"

Iruka laughed and stamped the scroll. "I don't accept your firing of me. I'll see you at work tomorrow, Kakashi-san."

"That's not exactly a 'no'," Kakashi commented. "And we're back to formalities?"

"Here we are," Iruka mused, gesturing to the room. "And it looks like I've got other shinobi to attend to. Thank you for your service, but please do check to see if you have any other lingering reports in your possession?"

Kakashi studied him in silence for a moment before giving him an upside down eye smile. "I make no promises," he said, waving as he left and began to think of how else to go about securing a date...

________

By this point, there had begun to be a number of regulars at Bar, both from the village and frequent out of town visitors, now that it was up and running and fully established.

Patrons would drift to preferred areas of the establishment as one does; to certain tables or corners, to talk, date, relax, and make deals of various natures, always under the watchful eye of the shinobi staff.

There were the usual bar fights, naturally, but these were swiftly ended, and everyone knew that if needed, ANBU were always on patrol.

Still, Iruka would point out to Kakashi which people seemed especially shifty.

"I'm just saying," he said one night to the copy nin. "A few groups of guys always take the tables over there when they're in town every week," he said, nodding towards a corner of the bar near the emergency exit. "They dominate it, and they clearly have bodyguards, most with chakra control."

"Shinobi for hire," Kakashi said, shrugging. "It is what it is."

"It's not right," Iruka said, frowning, as he poured a drink.

"It's also not illegal," Kakashi reminded him, just as Anko sat at the bar.

"Iruka! Kakashi! I'm thirsty!" she yelled.

"Hello, Anko," Iruka greeted her, smiling. "What can we get you?"

She shrugged. "Something...fun," she said. "I need to be cheered up!"

Iruka frowned again as he looked at Kakashi, who held up his hands in surrender, and the teacher moved to mix a drink for their friend.

"What is it?" Anko asked, looking at the orange-red concoction he soon placed in front of her, as Iruka added a cherry to it.

"Vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, cranbery juice," he said, leaning over the bar to whisper something in her ear.

"Sex on the beach?!" she shrieked, laughing as Iruka stared at her, mortified.

"Anko! Don't just yell it out!" he hissed at her.

"Ah, it's tasty," she sighed, sipping it. "But that's why I need cheering up! There's no sex on the beach for me, no sex on the anything. No anything on the anything."

"I don't even know what to say," Iruka said, shaking his head. 

"I'm so jealous of you," she said, sighing again.

"Me?"

"Yeah, you, and Kakashi."

Iruka looked at her, surprised. "What about me and Kakashi?"

Anko rolled her eyes. "You guys are totally a thing, right?"

Iruka raised an eyebrow. "We are?"

"Yeah! You work here together, I've seen you getting dinner and hanging out a lot more," she said, pausing to pout. "I'm jealous!"

Iruka laughed. "We're not together, Anko," he chided her. "Sure, we hang out sometimes, and I work for him here, but it's nothing more."

"Umino Iruka, I know you! You're happier now than you have been for a while. Don't lie!" she commented.

Iruka thought about it before shrugging. "Sure, I guess? I like working here, it's a new spin on things. I get to be around people without the responsibility of the academy or missions desk. It's...fun. Doesn't even feel like work."

"Yeah, working with one of the most sought after guys in Konoha and being able to drink whatever you want, whenever you want must be such tough work," she giggled, sipping her drink again.

"We're just friends," Iruka said, blushing.

"You wouldn't want to be more?" she asked, actually lowering her voice for once, which, for Anko, was a surprise.

"I....I mean..." Iruka stammered, caught off guard by the question. "I don't know? You know how it's been for me," he sighed. "Why ruin a good thing?"

"It's called taking a risk and getting something better," she reminded him.

"Noted," Iruka said. "Don't you have your own problem you were complaining about?"

"I do," she grumbled, but before she could continue, Iruka interrupted her.

"Oh! You know what? Tell Kakashi!"

"What?" she asked.

"Yeah," Iruka said, walking away so he could grab Kakashi's arm and lead him over. "It's totally his thing. You tell him your problem, he'll help you out. Have fun!" he said, as he walked away to help other patrons.

"Thanks," Kakashi sighed, before turning to Anko and staring blankly at her. "What's up?"

Anko stared at him with narrowed eyes, before shrugging and taking another sip of her drink. "I'm single, and over it."

"So meet someone," Kakashi suggested, accepting a tray of empty glasses someone placed on the bar.

"As if it's so easy!" Anko said, rolling her eyes. 

"Isn't it?" Kakashi asked, loading the glasses into another container so they could be taken to be washed.

"No!" Anko snapped. "I've gone through all the eligible guys I know of, and I'm waiting for some to come back from missions."

Kakashi shrugged. "So branch out. Ask friends to set you up."

"I guess," Anko said, sipping her drink again. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Wanna go out?" she asked, batting her eyes at him.

"No."

"Why?" she huffed.

"I don't like snakes," Kakashi commented, and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Are you sure it's not because you're already taken?" she asked, studying him and noting how he faltered for a moment as he stacked glasses.

"What makes you say that?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing," Anko said, looking around the bar at nothing in particular before returning to look at Kakashi. "Hey, is Iruka seeing anyone?"

"I don't know," Kakashi said, curtly. "Why don't you ask him? He's your friend."

"You're my friend too," Anko argued. "And you said friends set friends up. So, I could ask him to set me up with you --"

"No," Kakashi reminded her.

"Or you could set me up with him!" she posed.

"Actually, I think he's not really pursuing anything for a bit," Kakashi said, looking at her as he leaned on the bar.

"Yeah, well, we both know I'm not really his type, in more ways than one," Anko said. "It must be nice for you guys to work together so much."

"It passes the time," Kakashi said, shrugging. 

"I'll bet," Anko muttered. "Maybe I should revisit my list of dates, see if any would be a good match for Iruka..."

"I think he also said he's pretty swamped these days," Kakashi said, pouring a drink. "You know, working three jobs now. No real free time on his hands."

"Yet I've seen you two get cozy over meals," she challenged.

Kakashi shrugged. "We happen to run into each other around mealtimes, here and there. Nothing crazy," he said, trying to think of how to get her focus back on herself. "You should hire a dating service for yourself," he suddenly announced.

"A dating service?" Anko parroted.

"Yeah, to help you get new dates. They'll do all the work for you, you'll have tons of dates lined up before you know it."

Anko perked up at the suggestion. "Yeah, a dating service! I never thought about that!"

"You're welcome," Kakashi said, passing her a new drink and leaving while she was distracted by the alcohol and his suggestion.

Iruka and Kakashi danced around each other and Anko that night, neither wanting her to draw more attention to her perceived view they were dating, as they didn't know how the other would feel about it, much less how they themselves felt about it.

Both thought it could be nice, and perhaps not too much different from what they did now, as they did go out and talk a lot as it was. But Iruka wasn't sure about dipping back into dating, and Kakashi didn't think he wanted to lose the friendship they had built.

They were only too glad when they spotted Anko paying her tab towards the end of the night.

"Remember!" she called out to Iruka. "High risk, high reward!"

Iruka blushed but shook his head, not responding otherwise.

"What was that all about?" Kakashi asked, and Iruka shrugged.

"Oh, just Anko being Anko," he said, before wandering away to clean up a table, mulling over her words.

____________

They continued to dance around each other as time continued, but viewed their interactions, both at Bar and outside of it, with a different eye.

Were their friendly meals just between friends? Were they dates? Mini dates? Almost dates?

Neither was sure of what they were or weren't, so things continued as they were, enjoying their time together and working Bar, keeping it on the up and up.

Iruka was working the missions office one Monday night, lazily eying the clock that reminded him he still had an hour to go on his shift.

Suddenly, the air in Hokage Tower changed.

It grew...tense...busy...excited....

Iruka sat up and looked around at his co-workers, only one of whom was helping someone.

They all looked at each other, trying to pinpoint what the change was, when suddenly a commotion could be heard in the hallway.

Before anyone could react, the door to the room burst open.

"A raid!" someone shouted. "There's been an ANBU raid! Like the olden days!"

"A what?" one of the desk workers called back.

"Seriously?" another asked.

Another shinobi entered, nodding furiously.

"You should've seen it! It was wild! They appeared out of nowhere, and started talking about warrants, illegal business, cross-country affairs!" the shinobi said.

"Where?" Iruka asked, shocked.

"Bar!" the shinobi told them. "The place went crazy!"

"What?!" Iruka yelled, before looking at his coworkers. "I have to go!" he shouted, leaving in a swirl of leaves without waiting for an answer.

To his surprise and frustration, he ended up several blocks from Bar.

"ANBU must have it blocked off," he muttered to himself, running at full speed towards it, stopping a block away as the area itself was cordoned off.

It was like something out of a movie. ANBU were stationed all around, regular shinobi were keeping people away, even civilian guards were out and about.

"Gen!" Iruka shouted, spotting the man in the crowd.

Genma turned and headed towards him, followed by Raidou. "Iruka! What's up?"

"You tell me," Iruka said. "What happened?"

The other men shrugged.

"No clue," Genma said. "Me and Rai were heading to dinner when we heard a commotion and came over to check it out."

"There's so many ANBU," Raidou commented. "What was going on at Bar?" he asked the others.

Iruka and Genma exchanged a look of surprise.

"Nothing, really," Genma said, scratching his ear as he thought about it. "Been business as usual."

Iruka sighed. "That's exactly it. I told Kakashi there were shady business deals there!"

Raidou laughed. "It's a bar, it's what happens."

Iruka rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that was pretty much his reaction too." He looked around. "Does anybody see him? Kakashi?"

The three men tried to look, but couldn't see him.

They remained there for some time, until all of the ANBU left and the crowds began to disperse, though Bar was still closed and locked up.

"Head home safely," Genma said to Iruka. "I'm sure we'll find out what happened soon enough."

"You too," Iruka said to them, heading in the opposite direction. "I just wish I knew Kakashi was okay..." he sighed to himself.

______

Konoha was full of gossip about that night, though no one was sure what the truth was, and what was only rumor.

It didn't help that all employees of Bar were called in for questioning, but not told about what happened or what relevant information anyone was looking for.

Iruka's own questioning was uneventful and over before he knew it, though it did not give him any more comfort than when he went in.

It also didn't relieve the overall situation that Bar's owner was not seen in the village. Not hanging out at Bar, as it was still closed). Not eating at Ichiraku's. Not reading in a tree.

Just...gone.

Iruka toyed with the idea of seeing if the man had been sent on a mission, semi-retired or not, but talked himself out of it, for now.

"It's only been four days," he reminded himself. "Let's not jump to conclusions...but, if I haven't seen him after another week...then, maybe I'll check..."

Iruka was surprised and pleased to run into Kakashi as he was leaving Hokage Tower the following Friday, having stopped by to drop off some supplies from the academy  
to a coworker in the missions office.

"Hello, Kakashi-san," Iruka greeted him, surprised at the intensity of the feelings he was experiencing at seeing the other man, especially after everything that had happened recently. "Are you well?"

"As well as to be expected," Kakashi replied, following him out onto the street where they began to walk together as the sun was starting to set.

"I heard about the...events...at Bar," Iruka admitted, and Kakashi laughed.

"Everyone has, I expect."

"How are you?" Iruka asked, turning to look at him, only to find he was the one being studied. "What?"

"Nothing," Kakashi said, shrugging. "You're the first to ask how I'm doing, not how the place is doing, or details on what happened."

Iruka shrugged. "Places can be replaced, people can't."

"Very true," Kakashi said, and they walked in silence for a moment until he spoke again. "I've decided to come out of retirement."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," the copy nin said. "Turns out, it's far too dangerous to run a bar. I much rather prefer the mundane S and A rank missions I'd usually be assigned."

Iruka laughed. "Yeah, that sounds much safer and more predictable. What will happen to Bar?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I'm donating it to the village. Turns out I had a pretty good schedule of staff and a good way to run it --"

"Other than allowing shady business deals," Iruka interjected.

"Other than that," Kakashi sighed. "So, it can pretty much run itself now that I'm unretired."

Biting his lip, Iruka looked around and spoke in a lowered voice. "You know, word is, you never really retired."

"Do tell," Kakashi drawled, but Iruka shook his head.

"Just rumors swirling, I suppose. You know how the village loves a good gossip story, and this is one for the ages," Iruka said, smiling. "Though, I have a nagging feeling that this was all part of some larger plan. You 'retiring,' setting up a bar, allowing certain things to happen, then people getting caught...dangerous plots being foiled, if you believe more rumors."

Kakashi shrugged, silently.

"And I became part of it," Iruka dramatically sighed.

"The fun part," Kakashi admitted.

"I feel so used," Iruka laughed, before sighing loudly again. "But, now I've got quite the problem. Two, actually."

Kakashi looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and Iruka continued.

"Well, it seems that I've lost my third job, since I expect more people will want to work at Bar now, and I should really let others have the chance," he said.

"That's true," Kakashi said. "Though, in a way, it just frees up more time for you and other things, other people..."

"Well, that's the second problem," Iruka said, thoughtfully. "Now I have more time, but I'm not sure how to spend it. And actually my biggest problem is, now that you're not there, who will I or the village turn to for advice?" he asked, laughing.

Kakashi scratched his masked chin. "Those are quite the quandaries," he acknowledged. "Perhaps we should discuss it further over dinner tonight?"

Iruka smiled. "That sounds good."

"And then maybe on our way to a movie, that new comedy we talked about got released," Kakashi continued.

"And we could talk about it more on a walk after that, perhaps," Iruka said, smiling.

Kakashi nodded. "And over lunch at my place tomorrow."

"Oh?" Iruka laughed.

"I cook," Kakashi said, giving Iruka an upside down eye smile.

"Then how can I say no?" Iruka said, smiling, as they set off for dinner, excited for what lay ahead.


End file.
